Sweet Dreams , My Doctor
by konekoxsasaki
Summary: A story that may just reunite a pair that belong together, but he has to find her first of course. Did I mention that the dreamlord won't let her go?
1. Amy and the Wolf

**Okay, forgive any mistakes please, I wrote this at like 4 in the morning after inspiration hit. Also, I don't know 11 all that well so bear with me! **

**Disclaimer: they aren't mine, I just sure as hell wish they were. That is all. **

Amy Pond-Williams awoke with a scream.

She shot upright, taking in deep shuddering breaths as , beside her, her husband stirred.

"Amy? What's up?" He mumbled, fumbling for the lamp switch. She caught his hand up in hers, clinging in a way that belied her next words.  
"Bad dream. 'm okay though. Go back to sleep "

She shook her head slightly, trying to rid herself of the images in her mind. The Daleks, so, so many of them , and strange robot men marching through London; then flying into the air, dragged by some unseen force to Canary Wharf. Rory pulled himself upright, stretching.  
"no, you're not. C'mon, I'll make you a hot chocolate."

And he unceremoniously pulled her from the bed, down numerous corridors and into the TARDIS kitchen.

What he didn't expect to find was the Doctor, fully dressed and pouring himself a cup of tea.  
"Mr. Pond! Morning, no, wait, " he checked his watch, almost spilling his drink all over himself." not quite morning by your standards... Oh and Amy too... Oh."

He glanced between them knowingly and Rory flustered, whilst Amy just rolled her eyes.  
" Before you get carried away with your ideas, Doctor, I was sleeping, till my husband decides he wants a midnight snack"

The Doctor raised an eyebrow, settling himself into a chair, and placing his feet on the table.  
" Too scared of the dark to come here by yourself? Really now..."

Rory gave him a scathing look as he turned on the kettle.

"I'm not scared of the dark" Amy snorted and he corrected himself " mostly"

The Doctor smirked behind his cup, and seriously spoke  
" oh, you have every reason to be, don't worry"

There was a brief pause as though Rory was ascertaining whether he was joking, before he turned away , pouring cocoa into mugs.  
"...right , okay, no. We came down here because Amy had a bad dream"

She glared at him; ignoring the Doctors searching stare.  
"Do tell Pond"  
"Theres nothing to tell. Rory overreacted" Again , she gave herself away with her trembling hands.  
The Doctor didn't relent, just continued to stare as Rory passed her a warm mug; she carefully sipped it as he spoke.  
" If it's scary enough to wake you up then it'll make a good story. C'mon Pond, I'm curious now"  
Rory nodded.

"Tell us, it'll be good to talk about it" She glared between them, knowing full well that they wouldn't give in  
"It wasn't scary, just so ... Real"  
They stared at her expectantly and she sighed ,giving in.

" right...here goes. I'm on a street, just a normal street, in London. But there are Daleks-"

Rory frowned "another alien adventure I missed out on, right?"

She sighed again.  
"D'ya wanna hear it or not? They're everywhere, but they're different, all of them are gold, instead of the really bright coloured ones... And there are thousands and thousands in the sky, shooting and killing and... It's not just them. There are these men, these robot men, marching down the street towards me. They're shooting too, and screaming the word-"

"Delete"  
The Doctor frowned deeply, abruptly twisting his feet off the table and leaning forwards across it, intently listening as though it were the most important thing in the world.  
"Go on"

She sipped at the scalding hot cocoa and reached for Rorys hand, entwining their fingers. He smiled encouragingly.  
" But suddenly every one of them flies into the air and I'm pulled with them, tugged across the city to that Canary wharf building. I can hear excited laughter over the noise of their screams, and I'm thrown to the floor. I can see where it's coming from, a man is clinging to this thing on the wall right? He's stick thin, in a pinstripe suit and converse, and his hair! Absolutely MASSIVE sideburns and all spiked up like Sonic the hedgehog."

The Doctor pouted, looking slightly offended, though his eyes were haunted.  
"they weren't that big! Never mind , carry on"

She stared, worried at his tone. He sounded terrified and hopeful at the same time.  
" You know what's happening don't you?" He stared away and quietly answered

"I'll always know what happened that day, for the rest of my life. She fell. And I couldn't stop it."

Rorys head twisted like a crowd at Wimbledon , back and forth between Amy, eyes wide, and the Doctor, avoiding eye contact as he stared at the wall.  
"wait, who fell? What-"

Amy spoke quietly too, not looking away from the Doctor, whose eyes began to glisten.

" There was a girl there , on the other side, a blonde girl."

"Woman ." the Doctor murmured "She wasn't a child"

"Woman then. One of the Daleks hit the lever near her, and she let go of the wall to get it back. But she lost her grip on the lever and got pulled into wherever the robots and Daleks were headed"  
The Doctor sharply looked at her, eyes defiant, refusing to let a tear fall.  
" No. She didn't enter the void, her father saved her, she didn't die."  
Amy shook her head "Nobody saved her , she just disappeared"

He stood, glaring at them both.

" No, you listen to me Amy Pond-Williams. Rose Tyler is very much alive, and she is safe."

His tone dared her to deny it and she rose to the challenge  
"Well, in my dream she fell. But the next thing I know, Shes beside me, but she's different, older and her she's a different tone of blonde too."  
He slowly sat, eyes narrowing  
" Okay... Older Rose, I can deal with that" She rolled her eyes " She speaks to me, not looking away. 'it didn't happen like this' she said sadly ' but he's changed things, makes it so I never get helped, he says it'll teach me how much I need him'"

the Doctor sat up again, every nerve seemed on edge. " these were her exact words?"  
"as best as I can remember, okay?"

Rory raised his hand "wait , I'm lost , who's Rose exactly?"

The Doctor just looked at him, a look that spoke a thousand words and quite frankly, told him to shut up for the moment.  
He did so and Amy continued , draining her cocoa mug.

" I asked her how she could see me, no one else could. ' we're both observers at the moment, but he'll notice soon and pull me back to him. Creep'"

"Did she say who 'he' is?" Amy sighed and reached for a jammy dodger from a box in the centre of the table.  
"I'm getting there! I asked her who, and she just smiled again , saying ' send a message to the Doctor would you?'"

The Doctor seemed to be a bundle of tense energy in front of them, he waved his hands frustratedly for her to continue. " she said to tell you 'The Bad Wolf lives in dreams' , and then she muttered that she liked the bow tie"  
The Doctor bolted to his feet and began to pace, grabbing a jammy dodger and stuffing it into his mouth, mumbling to himself through the crumbs; Rory turned to Amy.

"who's Rose? " She shook her head and leaned against him ."

No idea. I just know she's blonde and has a cockney accent. God , I'm tired" he chuckled and lifted her bridal-style, surprising her. "Bed Mrs Pond-Williams. Well leave him to his insaneness for a while, and join in when he remembers we exist"

And they left him to pace and think of his mysterious Rose.

**Thankyou to all those who were patient enough to read this when it was all one giant paragraph, i love you guys!**


	2. Rose, Rose, Rose

**Okay, forgive any mistakes please, I wrote this at like 4 in the morning after inspiration hit. Also, I don't know 11 all that well so bear with me! **

**Disclaimer: they aren't mine, I just sure as hell wish they were. That is all.  
**  
Rose,Rose, Rose .

He could see her face quite clearly in his head, giving him that cheeky little tongue-between-teeth grin that made his hearts flutter. But how could she have been in Amys dreams? After all, it's was quite clearly not a normal dream, she was sending him a message, but how? Travel between parallel worlds was meant to be impossible. Ah, that should have told him, shouldn't it? Rose Tyler was VERY good at impossible. Somehow she had got across the void yet again.

So had he given up too easily? Did he not love her enough? No. He dismissed that thought immediately, of course he did. He'd loved her from the moment she saved him that first time, and he'd love her for the rest of his cursedly long life; no matter how many different men he became.

The universe needed a Doctor, but the Doctor needed a Rose and that would never change. Hadn't he already given her himself, his- well Tens - clone? Where was he? They were meant to have forever, surely the metacrisis hadn't failed both ways? Had he left her again...?

"Doctor? You alright?"  
Rory waved a hand in front of his stony face  
" Wanna talk about it? We can't help you if we don't know anything"

Amy clicked her fingers  
"We got theories too y'know"

The Doctor jumped back to the present, and leapt up from the railing. Somehow his musings had led him to the console room and he headed for the monitor, looking busy as he murmured " Rose is here. Somewhere ."

"But who is she? Someone you used travel with?"

He stared at the two of them  
"no, no... She was more than that, surely"

Amy sighed knowingly and nudged Rory.

"She was his girlfriend"  
"Pond, I don't date. She wasn't my girlfriend"  
He couldn't hide the slight tone of regret in his voice, even Rory caught it

" You wish she was."  
The Doctor suddenly paused in his motioned, staring at the controls as though he could see straight through them.

"Rory, I loved her more than you ever comprehend. And I could never be with her" Amy sat on the step, eyes sad.

"How come? Didn't she love you?"  
"Yes she did,so very much more than I deserved. But I couldn't ... She... I lost her. And the last chance I got to tell her... I ran out of time. I left her with a clone of me though , so she could have my forever..."

Amy was already shaking her head.  
"Not your most brilliant idea that"  
The Doctor glanced at Rory, who just shrugged whilst Amy continued. " if she loved you, then a replacement would just break her heart. He'll look like you, he'll remind her of you, but he isn't. I know I'd hate having a clone of Rory, and he'd hate it if he only had a clone"  
She almost spat the last word and Rory shuddered  
"Shes got a point"

The Doctor frowned "it was the only way to give her forever, a safe forever"  
Before they could argue back he realised something.

" Bow tie...?"

"Doctor?" Amy sat upright, watching as he darted around the console .

" It couldn't be just a dream, shes here somewhere, somehow! Shes seen me, the new me"  
Rory murmured "aaand... He's lost us again"

" I've regenerated since she last saw me ,she wouldn't know..."

Amy yawned, then stood, following the Doctor finally getting him to stop.  
"listen, me and Rory were thinking, what if it's the Dreamlord again? You said he's you, so why wouldn't he go after this Rose? Plus my dreams were based on YOUR memories, it makes sense...what if he wasn't just in that pollen stuff, what if -"

"Amy Pond I could kiss you ! But, you are married so I won't... It fits, it all fits, now all we need to do is find her"  
He pulled out the sonic screwdriver. "setting 113b . I want you to make me sleep until I give a signal"

Rory piped up "how you going to give a signal if you're asleep?"  
"good question!"

The Doctor pulled a wire from the monitor , attaching it securely to his forehead " Rory, watch that screen, you'll notice when I send a signal. Amy" she stared at him and smiled as he suddenly grinned, eyes sparkling in anticipation.

" I'm going to find a Rose Tyler . Wish me luck and put me under!****

Tee hee! Im liking this more than I thought I would! Please review, it makes me want to write more 3

**Thankyou to all those who were patient enough to read this when it was all one giant paragraph, i love you guys!**


	3. Signposts can't talk!

**Okay, forgive any mistakes please, I wrote this at like 4 in the morning after inspiration hit. Also, I don't know 11 all that well so bear with me! **

**Disclaimer: they aren't mine, I just sure as hell wish they were. That is all.**

It was dark, surmised the Doctor. Quite dark.  
But, he was in one piece, which was good, very good. But he had no idea how to move, or indeed , if he could move, where to go.  
It was never just a case of finding a signpost saying ' Rose Tyler, five minutes this way' because that was just far too-

Ah.  
There actually WAS a signpost, that was weird.

It pointed to the left though all he could see was constant darkness.

"Okay, that really isn't helpful. I mean you've got no labelling or anything" he murmured ,peering into the darkness.  
"For all I know, there might be a, a cliff or a dancing pink elephant or a- Oh that's good isn't it?"

He had glanced back at the sign; now there were words, it seemed as though the post was replying.

'Rosie Posie, pudding and pie  
Kissed a Doctor but made him cry'

The Doctor frowned, looking around for someone, anyone.

"So she's here then? What have you done with her? Scratch that, you won't dare hurt her. Why do you want her?"

The sign had changed yet again, without his seeing it, in a scrawled handwriting he vaguely recognised.

' Let's play a game Doctor.'

He frowned slightly, hand raised in that odd way of his.

"What kind of game?"

Again, it changed in the blink of an eye, too quick to discern.

'Lets take a trip down memory lane.'

"Ah. No thanks, no looking back thank you very much"  
He turned to go, but the sign was suddenly there. There was no evidence that it and moved; it was just there. In his way.

'I'll give you ten minutes to save your Rose'

" I'm listening- or watching, I suppose"  
He peered intently at it and it seemed to humour him, a large section of text appeared.

' You find and save her in ten minutes, you're free to move on.  
Get to the end of my little dream and you're both free to go,  
and both in the same world, together forever.'

The Doctor leaned back, surveying the sign suspiciously

"The catch?"

' make your way through each memory, though they aren't as they should be,  
come and find me, and she'll be free.  
She knows the rules of my game, she knows in each what is the aim.'

He glanced around, and rubbed his hands together

" Right, I can do this, I'll save her , if you'll just point me in the right direction."

As he spoke a path lit up.

"Oh , very good. Wait, do I get any help?"

' A sonic, and the people you meet may be all you need,  
but use caution, not all are as they seem.  
You may begin'

The sign seemed to dissolve, fading away like an ink drop in water.  
The Doctor turned and began to run

" Right, Rose here I come...Geronimo!"

* * *

Rose Tyler was having Déjà vu, and she hated it.

She felt like the Not-Doctors puppet, forced to play her part over and over and over-

But when she protested, or fought back; he hurt her,bound her in her own mind, only able to watch scenes she knew inside out.

She remembered vividly the moment she'd faced him the first time; the moment he'd turned up in her Torchwood office. Cruelly, he looked exactly like her Doctor, spiky hair and a wide goofy grin. At first she thought he'd crossed the void for her, but after a few seconds of looking at him she knew he wasn't her Doctor. So then he thought of the Metacrisis.

"What are you doin' here? Change your mind did ya? Well , tough. You left me behind."

She hadn't meant to sound so sharp, so angry, but it wasn't without reason; the man , a stranger with the Doctors face had used her, manipulated so that he could create a TARDIS and travel the universe. Without her. He had just chuckled; a horrible, mocking sound that set her every nerve on edge.

"Rosie Posie... Playing a guessing game that you can't win. You have no idea who I am"

She stared at him, one hand reaching for her sonic screwdriver- Torchwood made- whilst the other twitched into a fist.

"If I ent gonna guess you may as well -"

"Tell me, Rosie, what do you dream of?"

And then, as she'd got hold of the screwdriver, an overwhelming darkness swept around them. When she could see again , they were in a basement; she knew immediately which one, and when. Clothes hung in racks, plastic dummies lined the walls , ready to come to life and attack her. The not-Doctor had eyed her up and down, making her skin crawl, until she'd noticed what she was wearing, how long her hair was; and how ... Young she had become.

"What have you done?"

He'd laughed again, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I was bored, I want company. And who better than the Doctors little pet? This way, I kill two birds with one stone. Company AND entertainment"

And he'd forced her to run, hiding away as the autons surrounded her , until a man in a leather jacket took her hand and told her to run. At first , she felt fantastic; even though she was trapped in some psychos imagination, He was there, her Doctor. But then she began to notice things. Odd little things about him, how his eyes weren't blue, they were brown, how he occasionally slipped into rhyming without noticing. How he was flirting with her way too much to be her awkward, utterly hopeless Time Lord.

And she realised it was him, the not-Doctor, parading around as her first Doctor, and then her second. And so she had fought it, tried to leave.

That was when he began to control her, when he began to twist her memories to suit him. She found herself 'confessing' to him, he'd kissed her too eagerly, forced her into a relationship that she used to dream of.

Now it made her sick.

And if she disobeyed him, she was punished.  
Severely.  
Mickey had died, along with her mother, Shareen had gone too.

So then, in utter panic, she had stopped running, had allowed the monsters to kill her. She didn't escape. She had just woken up in the basement and made to start again, living her life in the TARDIS, hating the image of the man she loved. She hadn't aged either, though she was aware of time passin in the real world; she experienced it backwards. Life was her dream and a dream was her reality. It had been about a month ago that she'd seen the new Doctor , tumbling out of his TARDIS in tuxedo and top hat, at the call of a young Scottish bride. And so she'd laid her traps, set her stage in the girls mind. The not-Doctor wasn't the only one who could do it, she'd thought proudly as she sent her message.

But he had caught her. And hurt her yet again.

**Tee hee! Im liking this more than I thought I would! Please review, it makes me want to write more 3**

**Thankyou to all those who were patient enough to read this when it was all one giant paragraph, i love you guys!**


	4. The Doctor is in!

**Disclaimer: Not mine, though i wish they were. The general plot is mine though, of that I'm certain! On with the show...**

The Doctor checked his watch.  
Eight minutes and 24 seconds left and he had no idea how far she was or even what he had to save her from.

A small part of his mind, a very _ten-ish _part was already celebrating. Rose was just minutes away, and that was brilliant, so, so brilliant. Another part, a _nine-ish _part was planning ahead, holding back the anger he felt until the right time.

The light seemed to be leading him somewhere at last, and he almost cried out with relief; it was Earth then?  
Good, very good... He glanced around, briefly noticing a suspicious looking sign that simply stated:

'let's start at the beginning shall we? Can you sweep her off her feet?'

" I wish you'd stop with all the riddles, I really don't enjoy them"

Regardless, his brain was whirring, forming plans, ideas, readying himself for the room ahead. It was dark again, but he recognised the room immediately. A little room that no one knew existed, right beneath the most famous river in England, and the home of Roses first alien adventure.

He could hear The Nestene consciousness growling and creaking, accusing his former self; he could even hear the man defend himself as the autons held him back.

Ah, yes, good, there he was, all big ears and leather jacket, struggling futilely across the room. Which meant that Rose was-

Yep, right above Nine, clinging to the TARDIS. God she was young, just nineteen. But , god, she was beautiful, seeing her again made his insides turn to jelly, he was trembling as he gazed at her.

All pink and yellow, he'd once called her, and even from this distance, directly across the Nestene consciousness, he could see the spark in her eye that was just so _Rose_. She was terrified, but loving every second.

"I wouldn't have changed it for the world"

He murmured the words she'd told him so long ago, when they thought she would die, and it gave him strength.

Then he noticed; Where was Mickey? Not that it actually mattered but wasn't that the day he started to get in the way? Mickey the idiot. But, he wasn't there...hmm.

Suddenly, As he knew she would , she turned grabbing an axe from the wall and hacking at a chain, preparing herself to save him. But the metal didn't look right from here, he thought, too rusty, so rusty it could-oh dear.

Sweep her off her feet the sign said. So it was his turn to save her now.  
Quick check of the watch, five minutes and twelve seconds, no time for panicking just yet...

He calculated her swing in his mind, sonicking a similar chain in the wall , glancing back every five seconds.  
It took at least a minute to be ready, just in time for her to cry out and swing from the ledge. He started, then threw himself from his own ledge, crying out "Geronimo!" once again.

The metal creaked dangerously as Rose knocked an auton with the anti-plastic into the creature , saving the world and swinging away, straight toward Eleven, just as the chain broke. She screamed once; and then he has her in his arms, swinging to safety and oddly, into the pitch black darkness.

* * *

He dropped from the chain onto solid ground just as Rose began to struggle.

He reluctantly released her, immediately wanting to feel her in his arms again, to remind himself that she was actually there, in front of him, glaring at him- wait, glaring?

"What did you do that for?"

He raised his hands defensively , fighting back a smile.

"would you rather have died? Besides," He couldn't help but notice his tone was that of a spoilt child "you're the one that sent me a message, I thought you would be glad of the-"

Pain blossomed in his cheek, a sharp, stinging pain only recognisable as a Tyler Slap.

"take me back to the Doctor, he's trapped down here, on 'is own!"

"Rose, he's not real, I'm the Doct-ah!"

He ducked, avoiding her swinging hand and backed away slightly.

"How d'ya know my name? You're not.."

He suddenly stepped forwards, gently but firmly pinning her wrists to her side, she stilled at his touch, and gasped as he pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes.

"Rose, you travelled with me for two, utterly brilliant years; you saw me regenerate once; that there was just the beginning, just a memory. Please"

He whispered the last word , before leaning back to stare in her brown eyes. His own lost face reflected back; on the surface she looked incredulous, angry, but it was there. That twinkle of acceptance, that spark of recognition was there, just beneath the surface.

"My Rose is in there somewhere, and whatever he's done to make you forget, I will undo it."

He fought a sudden wave of fury, and slipped his hand into gasped at how natural it felt, at how their fingers fit together like puzzle pieces.  
She stared at him, on the very edge of remembering...

"I think... Yep, I think were between dreams right now. "

The Doctor pulled his hand away and the moment was gone; he removed his tweed jacket, folding it into a pillow.  
"there, I'm guessing we'll be here a while. Get some rest okay?"

She raised an eyebrow but did as he said, laying down as he plonked himself beside her. Odd, she was exhausted... The last thing she heard before she drifted off to sleep was the Doctors murmur.

"I'll keep you safe this time, Rose, I swear "

* * *

Amy sighed, leaning against her husband, and watching the Doctor sleep with fascinated eyes.

Her husband just watched with jealous eyes.

"Amy."

She jumped, then turned looking at him innocently.

"uhhuh?"

"You're a married woman for christs-"

He cut off, staring straight past her, she turned again and cried out.

There was a woman in the TARDIS. A woman that had been haunting her dreams.

"Are you Rose?"

The blond woman nodded, looking shakily around.

"You've remodelled."

Her voice echoed slightly, she flickered like a bad TV signal.

"where's the Doctor? He went to find you"

She was staring down at the Time Lord in question; then she looked away, ran a hand through her hair.

" He's with me, but I can't get free... The other hims messed with my head, I can only watch... He's so different,ent he?"

Amy stood and Rose eyed her up and down with a certain jealousy.

"Blimey you've got nice legs... Sarah Jane was right , he gets older, his assistant gets younger... Does he know how to get us out?"

Rory shrugged

"Suppose so. Personally, I just thought he'd made it up as he went along..."

Rose smiled, tongue between teeth, and nodded indulgently.  
"Glad to see that ent changed, even if everythin' else has"

She was beginning to fade again and she gazed at her hand as it disappeared.

"I'm waking up... I'll see you again though, I'm sure, keep an eye out, alright?"

Amy started fowards.

"Do you love him?"

Roses eyes widened, then she grinned; wide and goofy.

"Oh , yes." As she faded away, her smile was the last thing to go, just like a Cheshire Cats.

Rory frowned "I've seen her before..." This made Amy stare at him, he stared at the place where she'd been.  
"Yeah, I'm sure. I saw her at the wedding...just, in the background, but she was there..."

He suddenly gazed up at Amy who was frowning.  
"how long d'ya reckon she was trapped? How longs she been trying to find him?"  
" I don't know , Rory"

Her answer was subdued as she sat beside him, resting her head on his shoulder.  
"I don't know"

**Reviews would be much loved, please, I put my very best into these chapters and i hope you enjoy them 3**


	5. Cryptic, talking signs can be useful

**Dedicated to angel19872006 ,PeanutTree ,XxJessFoxxX ,georgebobpinglingchu ,Smite1 ,Anon, adipose3 , Izzy and most particularily Dreamcatcher49 for your FANTASTIC reviews. I love you guys!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine, though i wish they were. The general plot is mine though, of that I'm certain! On with the show...**

The Doctor sighed, tilting his head to watch Rose; she slept with her head face down on the pillow and he'd always secretly feared she'd suffocate. Not entirely possible, but he wouldn't take any chances, never with her .

"mmmmph..."

She was dreaming, he supposed, then thought about said supposition. A dream within a dream; or was it like before, where one was apparently reality? Was she in the waking world, a ghost? Either way, he'd never know...

Suddenly her head lifted; she smacked her lips together sleepily and gazed around, meeting the Doctors sea green eyes.

"God you're different."

He blinked, then glanced behind him, pointing to his chest.

"Are you talking to me?"

"Stupider this time ent ya? Who else would I be talking to? Jack?"

She stood, stretching her arms and yawning; as the Doctor tentatively stood, hardly daring to believe it.

"Rose, you know who I am?"

She gave him a bemused smile and ruffled her hair.

"You're the Doctor. The new Doctor." then she winked  
"Strictly speaking you're the tenth since the original so that makes you the new, new,new,new,new new,new,new,new, new Doctor"

He stared for a moment longer , long enough to worry her.

Then he threw his hands into the air and half-shouted and half-laughed ; he hugged her tightly, lifting and spinning her as she laughed.

"Bloody hell! Put me down!"

He stopped, face falling. Too much, too soon. Too different; she couldn't possibly accept a new man twice.

He stood back, carefully watching her face, which was unreadable, and murmured an apology.

"Shut up you idiot" her tone was playful as a grin pulled up the corners of her lips. Her tongue-between-teeth smile that made his hearts melt, even more so now, it was his first time seeing it in his new eyes, and he loved it.

"I've already seen you remember? I knew you'd change eventually." her tone continued to be playful, though her eyes betrayed the loss she must have felt.

"Rose, I'm sorry, really I am. But look, once you're safe, I'll take you home to Jackie and- oh Rose , don't cry!"

Tears were welling up in her eyes and they fell silently. The Doctor just took her hand and lead her through the darkness, trying to comfort her as best he could under the circumstances.

"'m sorry. 'S just... He killed her, and Mickey too. The not-Doctor"

Remorse washed through him, then cold fury. The Dreamlord had a lot to answer to.

"well they're safe , Rose, I promise you. I'll take you home"

"That place ent home no more"

Her tone was bitter and broken, and she strode past him as he stopped. He pulled on her hand.

"Rose...? What happened? Did the Metacrisis" it didn't escape his notice that she flinched at that name .

"He died ,didn't he?"

She didn't turn around, though he could tell the strength it took to hold back her tears, to keep her voice steady.

"Dead? No, he's fine. The Doctor in the TARDIS, travelling the stars. Without me"

"What?"

" Sure , he was all lovey dovey when I ordered my team to recreate the TARDIS, but the second it was ready, he took someone else to travel the universe with him. Martha had a parallel too. I warned you that he wasn't you. Turns out I was right"

The Doctor was gobsmacked , and feeling so, so guilty.

"Rose , I..."

But what could he say? Should he do what he did with the rest of the universe, apologise for others mistakes? Rose knew he left her for her; he could see that in her eyes. And , now , when she looked at him, he could see forgiveness, shining through the pain.

"I always knew he wasn't you. But it was hard to watch him prove it."  
She suddenly started to tug on his hand, dragging him along until he sped up and walked beside her.

"Anyhoo, Doctor, lets concentrate on getting out of here alive"

He smiled and nodded.

"good plan, straight to the point, I like it. Now what are the rules?"

She gazed at him blankly.  
"Eh?"

He pursed his lips, thinking.

"The sign told me you'd know the rules of 'the game' . Don't you know the rules? You should know the rules. Why don't you?"

She fought back a snort of laughter.

"You're such a geek!"

His tone turned petulant again.

"No I'm not. Alright, maybe I am, but I don't care. It's cool"

Another scoff, and her hand moved to tug at his bowtie. He desperately attempted to ignore the sudden speeding of his hearts.

"Like this thing, you mean?"

"Hey! You said you liked it!"

"Yeah, but that doesn't make it cool does it? Face it, you are a GEEK"

"And don't you just love it"

He felt that maybe, just maybe ,he was pushing those boundaries that he himself had placed up; his 'dont-mention-the-L-word-around-Rose' rule. Not to mention it was presumptuous to assume she still cared; after all he was a stranger to her now. But somehow, it still felt exactly the same, the way she looked at him, the way they could fall so easily into the old banter.

"Mutt and Jeff..."

He caught her murmur, fascinated by the fact that she seemed to be thinking along the same train of thought as he was. And so he squeezed her hand and quietly said.

"Shiver and Shake"

Her lips trembled, but she played along, eyes sparkling in the gloom.

"which one's Shiver?"

"Oh, I'm Shake"

She breathed out shakily, and reached out to brush his hair back.

"You're so different, but exactly the same... I can see it in your eyes..."

"What do you mean?"  
He quietly encouraged her, staring into deep chocolately brown, immediately lost, and too happy to care.

"They're a different colour, but they still look the same to me. I dunno," she dropped her hand, and he could breathe again.

"You look at me, and I can see the Doctor I fell in love with"

Now that, that made him grin from ear to ear; and he soundly kissed her forehead.

"Great! Molto bene! "

She chuckled, then came to a stop, a small, shy smile on her face. And when he stopped to see what was up, she quite tentatively took hold of the lapels of his jacket.

Thank god he had a respiratory bypass system, else Rose Tyler would have killed him long ago; he couldn't breathe again. She leaned, hesitantly, torturously slow until her lips were just inches away. Her eyes slid slowly shut, he could feel his own drift closed in mind-blowing anticipation. He'd dreamt of this so often, the moment that Rose Tyler - completely of her own free will- kissed him, and it was just a few seconds away now...

And then the ground beneath them moved and shuddered, throwing them into a tangle of limbs on the floor, effectively ending the moment.

Stupid , stupid place that just had to go and arrive at one of the most important moments of this whole thing. The Doctors thoughts, to say the least, were not complementary and he sat up with a huff.

Rose glanced swiftly around them, avoiding the Doctors eyes.

"Omigod, it's someplace new..."

The Doctor brushed himself off as he stood; adjusted his bow tie and took a look for himself. It was, quite typically the entrance to a large maze.  
Rose turned to him, eyes shining with excitement, she was almost jumping up and down on the balls of her feet.

"You ever seen this?"

"No, I think I'd remember a giant maze. You?"

"No ! Haha!" She hugged him suddenly, laughing. " I'm somewhere new, thank god! I thought I'd never break the loop"

"Loop? "

She slipped her hand comfortably in hers and almost dragged him forwards, he couldn't help but chuckle, though all humour disappeared when she said.

"All I've lived the past I-don't-know-how-long are my memories. That or it's inside the TARDIS with him. A constant loop... I mean, I'd have those two years, and then, instead of getting trapped, I fall into the void and start again. In the basement, aged 19 years old."

He stopped, yanking her to his side, he took hold of her arms and stared into her eyes.

"Rose, did he make you do anything... Anything ..." he couldn't continue but Rose sighed, understanding.

"Kisses and stuff, nothing overly forceful. He didn't manage to sleep with me if that's what you're thinking."

He nodded, relief flooding through him and he made for the entrance again, only to be blocked by a familiar looking sign.

"Ah, you! Just the sign I wanted to read... C'mon, tell me what's next, and no little riddles if you please!"

He wagged his finger at the sign reprimandingly and Rose stared at him, looking confused.

"it's a block of wood."

"hey, don't knock it, it got me this far"

She glanced at it, then went back to her confused staring.

"it's still a block of wood"

The block of wood in question twisted, facing Rose who eyed it sceptically.

'Rosie Posie pudding and pie,  
Faced the monsters, they made her cry  
Yet when the Wolf comes out to play  
Just watch those monsters run away'

"The Bad Wolfs gone. Long gone. Tell us what we're supposed to do."

' Enter travellers, but take heed  
A strong mind and heart is what you'll need  
Face your demons as you seek the tower  
And reach it by the thirteenth hour '

Rose groaned.  
"were being given instructions by a living, rhyme obsessed sign. And here's me thinkin' I'd seen the weird stuff already"

It didn't seem to be through, the words were quickly replaced.

' Can the Wolf truly brave the Storm?  
For his soul shall be revealed within these gates  
And beware: the darkness within him is great'

She scoffed  
"First off, that didn't even rhyme, and second off, "  
She tightened her grip on her Doctors hand  
"I trust him, no matter what you throw at me"

He smiled slightly, though inside he was suddenly terrified. If she knew the truth about him, how could she possibly love him ?

He wasn't even sure HE could face his past, let alone expose her to it.

**Reviews would be much loved, please, I put my very best into these chapters and i hope you enjoy them 3**


	6. Reflections and queries

**Dedicated to all my FANTASTIC reviewers. I love you guys!**

Sorry about the delay, I wanted Roses speech to be just right, though I still think it needs work...

**Disclaimer: Not mine, though i wish they were. The general plot is mine though, of that I'm certain!**

" C'mon, left or right?"

Rose glanced in each direction; then closed her eyes , spinning a few times. The Doctor watched bemusedly, and pulled out the sonic screwdriver.

" Really? Can't we be a little more technical than that? "

"Oi, this is up there with jiggery pokery and hullaballoo thank you very much ."

She came to a stop, facing to the left, and grimaced. It was stone , dark and creepy; vines crawled along the walls, barren and dying. A thick mist obscured their view of the end, an overly typical horror setting. It was like something out of a bad movie. Behind her was nicer; not by much but at least there was no fog... The end was clear, and swerved to the left.

The Doctor scanned the mist warily, peering intently with almost crossed eyes at his sonic screwdriver as it bleeped apathetically.

"Nothing. No readings at all..."

He trailed off as Rose slipped a hand into her pocket, pulling out the pencil thin, silver and blue tipped version of his screwdriver. She eyed his warily with a resigned smile.

"Even the sonic screwdrivers different. Ah, well , sometimes you need something a little older..."

She slid the tip up , pressed the button and pointed it into the mist, as he stared at her.

"Who gave you that..?"

"eh? Oh, I , uh, built it"

The screwdriver bleeped and hummed, changing frequency ever so subtly as the doctor ran his hands through his hair.

"Wow. That's... That's clever"

" I didn't do it on my own, silly, I'm an ape remember?"

He pulled a face and she chuckled.

"I'm an ape who finally went and got her GCSEs like she should of years ago... But I'm still not clever enough to do this alone though."

It stopped bleeping and she frowned.

"no readings...Oi! What's that look for?"

He was grinning proudly, but quickly covered it by turning away and pretending to examine the other way.

"Who helped you?"

Her voice was carefully subdued as she pocketed her sonic.

" John... Um, the Metacrisis... He needed one and I nicked the instructions he'd left lyin' around the flat, built one with the stuff at Torchwood. Tried to impress 'im I suppose. Still, it's useful, really good at openin' doors."

The Doctors eyes slid shut. So they'd had a flat, did they ? With doors, and windows, and carpets.  
And a mortgage too , no doubt.  
He could almost see it, him returning from his work, to find Rose ready and waiting for him, so achingly beautiful ; a familiar cheeky grin at the ready.  
The thought was so mundane. So domestic.

So terrifyingly tempting.

He again cursed his double, an altogether new image in his mind:  
Rose watching silently, horrified and broken as he walked away from her, clicking his fingers to open the TARDIS doors, leaving with barely a glance backwards, the complete and utter bast-

" Are you alright? "  
Rose spoke quietly, slipping a hand into his, banishing every hint of anger. He started and looked at her, a frown deepening on his large forehead.

"Just peachy. Let's go this way, I never trust something I can't identify"

She looked back , then into his eyes, her own sparking wickedly.

"fair enough. Or is it just cos you can't show off?"

And she laughed, music to his ears, before tugging him into the path ahead.

-

12 hours , 32 minutes and 26 seconds left.

The path was uneventful for a while, just the same two walls, leering over the intrepid pair. They barely seemed to notice though, as they bantered and bickered, falling it the old pattern as easily as breathing.

But, as always with the Doctor, things took a bizarre twist.

"Doctor."

Roses voice and manner abruptly shifted; just seconds ago she'd been grinning, now it was just an echo on her face as she stared in front of them.

"Dead end."

He gazed in the direction she indicated; sure enough there was a wall, though a rather odd one it must be said. The surface shone in the dim light, reflecting back their images.

"It's a mirror. Now that's unusual, I like unusual"

"Doctor, shut up..." She sighed, exasperated , and moved forwards, examining her reflection and grimacing.

"You could have warned me that I look a state , Ta."

He shook his head, dismissing the idea; he passed her and very gently placing the tips of his fingers against the glass.

The glass seemed to be like some sort of liquid, sticking to his fingertips and conforming to the shape of them , like some sort of jelly. There was a sort of pull from it, and he jerked his hand back with an odd slurping noise.

There was suddenly a third person in the mirror.

Rose would have known the man anywhere, her big-eared, leather jacketed, northern alien. He glared at them with his oh-so-blue eyes, daring them to challenge him.

"It's you..."

The Doctor might as well have disappeared, Rose gazed into the reflections eyes with a half terrified, half mesmerised look. A kind of reverent glow shone through her brown eyes, and she trembled ,reaching out a hand.

The reflection smile toothily, cheesily and reached out and the real Doctor panicked; hearts skipping a few beat, and twisting his stomach into knots. Somehow, some instinct within him knew that she mustn't touch it, never ever, or he would lose her.

He took her wrist abruptly , yanking it away. For the shortest second, the reflection flickered, eyes blazing and features twisting grotesquely.

And then he disappeared as quickly as he'd come, seeming to explode into golden light, leaving Rose blinking as though awoke from a spell. The Doctor tucked his arm firmly around her trembling waist as the golden mist began to swirl, forming a new man; one that he was sure would draw Rose in even more.

His tenth incarnation stood quite confidently before them, grinning in his usual lunatic way, stuffing his hands deep into his pinstripe pockets.

He totally didn't expect her to flinch against him and turn away, that was for certain; and it was odd, the feeling of triumph it inspired. Was it even possible to be jealous of yourself?

His tenth incarnation slowly extracted one hand, reaching out to her and she began to tremble.

"Rose... Don't you trust me?"

His hand pressed against the mirrors surface; it bent and stretched as his past self reached out to her. Beside him, he heard the tiniest of whimpers, and a sharp wave of possessiveness flooded through him, making his blood boil.

"Don't."

His past self jerked backwards slightly, face distorted as he seethed.

"Don't tell me what I can't do. Not when it comes to Rose ."

She trembled again, but swallowed any fear she had, facing him and thinking only of the real Doctors hand on her waist, giving her strength.

"you're not him."

The image blinked and then grinned disconcertingly.

"Quite right too. He's a stranger to you, look at him. This new Doctor, born reluctantly, pushing me far out of your mind, out of existance. How can you trust a man you don't know? I love you, Rose Tyler, and I should have told you so every day, ever since we met in that little basement in London. "

His voice and manner shifted, and he looked so lost,so hurt, so... Pathetic.

"And now you've left me behind."

The Doctor tried not to tremble, through dark fury; how dare this, this imposter try to reach out to the single most important thing in his universe? And there was fear also, an ugly, harsh fear that maybe, just maybe he would convince her; after all, the Doctor she knew was confessing before her eyes-

Her blazing, terrifyingly furious eyes.

"How dare you." Her voice was quiet and deadly , it sent a shiver down the Doctors spine that had nothing to do with fear.

" I am so sick of this. That mans gone, there's nothing, n-nothing anyone can do to change it, he's gone and you, whoever you are, you think you can just - You monsters think you can just use his face and I'll go all weak? No, see, cos using that face, that brilliant, georgeous face... That just makes me stronger."

The image faltered; he seemed to step back involuntarily. She continued, voice getting angrier with every word.

"Now you, whatever you are... Don't you dare tell me I can't trust him"

She jerked her head at the Doctor, who stood stunned into silence.

" because he's my Doctor, and I'd follow him to the end of the universe. I will always trust him, no matter how much he changes; an' you sure as hell better disappear... I know my Doctor, and I'll never be fooled by the likes of you!"

She stepped forwards, a hand raised, but the Doctor leapt forward, tugging her back. He struggled to find his voice for a moment, still marvelling at the brilliant act she'd just done.

His Rose.

The image flickered, and faded, looking defeated.

"Rose Tyler, I..."

And then he was gone, leaving the pair with a terrible and unwelcome sense of déjà vu. Rose silently scrubbed away a tear on her sleeve, her knees seemed to give out beneath her; the Doctor held her up, hugging her tightly to him and kissing the top of her blonde hair.

-

12 hours, 5 minutes, 17 seconds left.

They'd been walking in silence for a while now, after the Doctor had found the little way past the mirror; a buzz of the screwdriver and they were through.

The Doctor felt the urge to pace, to turn and shake Rose into talking again. Her silence terrified him, it felt as though she were about to drift away, smoke through his fingers.

Finally, finally she murmured " Doctor? I've got a question"

He smiled, relief acute to pain flowing through him, and he turned around, walking backwards so he could see her more clearly.

Her hair was dishevelled, her lips thin and pale, almost as pale as her skin; whatever she said, he could see how that incident with the mirror had disturbed her, and it worried him.

"Anything"

"How did you ... Y'know."

She cleared her throat.

"D-die. Or regenerate, even."

Ah. He'd hoped this could wait, when he could tell the tale in detail, in safety. But he couldn't deny her, she had a right to know. But in this fragile state- no, he scolded himself, she's tough , she can deal with it.

He hoped.

" Saving a life. Donnas grandfather. "

He proceeded to tell her the whole story, the end of Time, the return of Gallifrey and the TIme Lords. Of the Master, his revival, his plans, and his sacrifice. And then of the knocking, the knocks that symbolised the nails in his regenerative coffin.

She was a good listener, entwining their hands together and reacting exactly as he knew she would. And then he told her about his goodbyes, saving Mickey and Martha, setting up Jack, Donnas lottery ticket... And then his goodbye to her.

Her eyes sparkled at his words, half-sobbing, half-laughing as she nodded.

"1st of January 2005. That drunk bloke in the trenchcoat... Said I would have a great year. I forgot him with everything that happened but..."

"it was me. I had to see you one last time. A dying mans wish."

" When you got into the TARDIS, before you changed... "

Her voice dropped to a whisper, her eyes slid closed.

"What were his last words?"

This he was reluctant to impart, knowing it would affect her, maybe even make her worse... His voice came out hoarse as his hand tightened comfortingly; he stared into her eyes and simply said:

"I don't want to go."

For a horrifying moment he honest believed she was going to break , but then she nodded, swallowing and suppressing the haunting panic in her brown eyes.

"I'm so sorry"

He glared fiercely at her, pulling her to him again.

"Don't you dare apologise to me , Rose Tyler. It wasn't your fault"

The last part was a partial lie: he vividly remembered thinking of Rose before he'd changed, remembered distinctly thinking 'she won't be able to find me, how will she know?'

But how could he tell her that?

"You used to. Every time you weren't there to save 'em, you'd apologise."

He avoided her eyes, unable to form a reasonable explanation. Then he heard a sound that made his blood run cold, and his hearts to pound the adrenaline through his veins.

" Ex-ter-min-ate! Ex-ter-min-ate! "

**Reviews would be much loved, please, I put my very best into these chapters and i hope you enjoy them 3**


	7. Thats Ood

**Dedicated to all my FANTASTIC reviewers. I love you guys!****Disclaimer: Not mine, though i wish they were. The general plot is mine though, of that I'm certain!**

"Where is it?"

Rose spoke calmly and firmly, the only sign of her fear lay in the slight quiver of her lip. It almost made him laugh, the way his eye was drawn to it; it sent an odd tingling through him, twisting his stomach with butterflies.

He turned from her, intently focusing on anything other than his wonderful pink-and-yellow companion; with her chocolatey brown eyes wide and doe-like, but with that spark that made him so very extremely weak at the knees- And shutting up now, Doctor, thank you...

The screams of his worst enemies came from some distance away, but WHICH way was the big question? The noise seemed to come from all around them. He could, however, still clearly make out the words.

"Surre-nder! Res-is-tance is Fu-tile!"

He pursed his lips as Rose once again slipped her hand into his, just like a jigsaw. He really shouldn't let go, he mused, not ever if he could help it. Not when he'd got her back. Not when it made him feel this way- Daleks, Doctor, concentrate!

"We're ok at the moment, I think. Though for now, we keep moving, heading towards them."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Towards 'em? What happened to runnin'?"

This made him smile.

"Why? Did you miss it?"

Her look gave him her response and he grinned shamelessly.

"Good, cos there'll be lots of it. Eventually. Now , Rose. What was it I used to say? "

He was referring to his fondness of the phrase 'Allons-y!' but her eyes twinkled mischievously. She gave him her best Rose grin, making his hearts flutter and his limbs go all wibbley-wobbly.

"What part? We couldn't get you to shut up!"

"Oi! Everything I had to say was useful!"

"Yeah, Cos rambling on about the inventor of the banana daiquiri turned out to be useful"

He pouted stubbornly, and Rose got another glimpse at the petulant child within him; and for a second could see the Tenths heart-wrenching puppy dog eyes staring out at her.

"T'was useful. A little. To me at any rate-"

They froze as they turned a corner, staring out across a clearing, and at the hundreds of ood staring hungrily at them.

"Ah."

They glanced sidelong at one another, and broke into frighteningly similar grins.

"Now we run?"

"Oh, yes!"

-

They ran, not caring which way, hearing the distant drumming of the ood army on their tail.

To Rose, it felt wonderful; the rush of air past her, the harsh banging of her feet against the floor, the burn of air in her lungs. Not to mention, that sharp buzz of adrenaline in her lungs. She wanted to laugh, here she was, With her real Doctor, running of her own free will, and it felt fantastic.

Until somehow they hit a dead end.

"How... The hell did... Ya manage that?"

She rested against the stone wall, gasping for breath. You woulda thought that countless years of running through her memories woulda trained her a little, but no...

The Doctor turned ,wildly glaring down the way they'd come. The ood weren't far away, close enough that they couldn't backtrack, almost close enough to see. A plan, that was what he needed, that and some jammy dodgers. And a fez- but they could wait.

For now, he focused intently , waiting for that brilliant little spark that symbolised an idea... Aha! There it was, but he didn't like it, not one bit.

"Doctor? What do we do?"

She trusted him, he thought happily. The look she was giving him now spoke of unwavering trust and hope, it gave him the strength to do what had to be done.

He had to leave her .

" Plan, I've got a plan , rose"

He grasped her shoulders, wondering how best to sell his idea. The stupid drumming of the oncoming army drilled a tatoo in his head; the pepper-pot Daleks still screamed in the distance, messing with his mind.

She simply stared unwaveringly into his eyes and murmured.

"Do it."

"Rose, you won't like it."

"Will it save us?"

She spoke faster now, as the army approached, the Oods' eyes glowing with a devilish red.

"Most probably."

"Then do it."

He smiled again and pressed his lips to her flustered forehead.

"Be back before you know it."

And he collapsed into her shocked arms.

"Doctor!"

-

He could still hear her shout echoing in his ears as he bolted up from the TARDIS floor.

He ignored his companions shocked cries, launching himself at the console and slamming his hand down on a great big red button.

"Has to be red, doesn't it? Rory! Hold that down, don't let go, even for a second, d'ya hear? Not one second!"

He hastened to yank off the wire attached to his forehead, with a pop it came away, leaving a little purpley-red circle; Amy stared at him in alarm.

"How come?"

She immediately regretted asking; he launched into a techno-babble ramble.

"That button keeps the feedback loop resonating, fluctuating at 6.15243362 mega - aargh , no time , no time!"

And the Time Lord burst out of the room, galloping and tripping awkwardly up the stairs, before charging down the corridor as fast as his legs would carry him.

Amy moved to Rorys side, eyebrows furrowed delicately in concern.

"I thought he was looking for that girl?"

" maybe he's following a signal?"

She pursed her lips.

" but she was here, right? She said she was with him. So what happened-?"

She broke off abruptly as the Doctor flew - well, fell- down the stairs, a small device in his hands. It looked suspiciously like a gun...

" We were running from the ood and then I remembered that I really could do with this- but I left her in danger, and I need to fall asleep again, quickly, before the psychic link breaks down; cos then i cant get back and that would be extremely very not- Good lad, Rory! Ah, right" he flustered, licking the little suction pad and reattaching it with a 'shluuuuuuurp!' to his forehead. "sleep. Now, if you please, Pond, and I'll be back soon, with Rose."

It didn't escape her notice, she thought as she pressed the button to knock him out, that his eyes glowed at her name, that he uttered it with such a fervent respect, much the way that Rory spoke of her, she'd been told... But she never thought she would hear the Doctor so desperately in love. She sighed, praying with every finer of her being that this love wouldn't be the death of him.

Then, as the doctor lapsed into dreaming, Rorys voice came tentatively from across the console.

"Can I let go yet?"

And then a few seconds later...

"Amy? What the hell is an ood?"

Rose Tyler was not a happy bunny.

The Ood were dangerously close now, close enough for her to see the red glow in their eyes, close enough for her heart to be pounding uncomfortably, for her breathing to hitch in fear.

The Doctor groaned in her arms; she hadn't once let go of him since he'd collapsed, secretly terrified that he would disappear, and that she would have to start all over again.

"...Fez. Oh!"

He gasped loudly as he jerked awake, staring up at Rose, who seemed on the verge of panicked tears. For a short second he gazed up at her, a dozen different emotions flitting through him, and then he bounded up as though he'd been electrocuted.

He shook his head once dazedly, then stared out into the crowd of monsters.

"Ah. yes. You're all a bit quicker than I remember."

She fought back a nervous laugh. Same old Doctor, rambling his way to safety...

"But , you see , you Oods..."'he drew out the word, then turned back to Rose, one hand poised in front of him, rocking slightly, a small grin on his face ; ever the image of the geeky librarian.

"I like saying that. Ood. Ooooood..."

"The Doctor will please desist his mocking."

The nearest Ood raised his communicator politely, tilting his head to the side.

"The Ood will please desist their chasing"

He replied in exactly the same tone and they blinked, confused.

"We are hungry."

"Yes , so am I. Might I suggest a jammy dodger rather than human flesh? hmmm?"

"We are hungry."

He frowned and stepped back slightly.

"You've said that"

"We are hungry."

The Ood began to speak as one, each translator lighting up like some twisted version of a Christmas display.

"Ah, c'mon! It's no fun if you just repeat everything."

"Doctor. What do we do?"

"we run of course." he stared over his shoulder at her, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"We are hungry."

She gazed around skeptically.

"What? Through a solid wall?"

"No, we run-"

"We are hungry."

He turned back to the crowd, eyeing them with some annoyance.

" Do you know who I am?"

"The Doctor"

"Yes, the Doctor. And. I. Am. Talking. So you will shut up and listen"

It was at that point he raised his hand; in it was the odd, gunlike object that he'd picked up in the TARDIS .

Rose gasped, then grinned madly; recognising it instantly.

Squareness gun.

Sorry about the delay, I had rehearsals nonstop this week, not to mention a certain maths alevel examination that I'd rather forget...

**Reviews would be much loved, please, I put my very best into these chapters and i hope you enjoy them 3**


	8. Warnings from an army

**Dedicated to all my FANTASTIC reviewers. I love you guys! I've been super stressed out recently, and this story , and your reviews, are really helping me through... and so, because of your loveliness , you get a little *cough* romantic *cough* treat!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine, though i wish they were. The general plot is mine though, I hope you enjoy**

He winked once at her, evidently aiming for the Rose-aren't-I-clever Look that he'd always given her.

Then he shot at the wall nearest them, opening up a largish hole-just big enough for two.

"In the words of my past self, Rose, allons-y!"

And he leapt through the hole with Rose clinging to his hand for dear life.

If the Ood were surprised; they didn't show it as they turned, translators raised.

"The Doctor cannot run."

He laughed as without thinking he locked his arm around Roses waist, pulling her against his side, heightening his buzz of adrenaline. Making him feel Oh-So-Alive.

"Oh, I beg to differ. If there is one thing in the universe I'm good at, it's running, thank you!"

They began to march forwards as one, speaking ominously.

"He will lose, and she will die. She is already lost to him, and yet he clings to such feeble hope. For in dreams she is immortal, and in life she cannot wait forever. His hand to hold will one day soon let go, just as she did in the face of Nothingness."

All trace of humour evaporated from the Doctors features; his eyes were stormy as he tightened his grip. His hearts pounded out a frantic, staccato rhythm, he felt that Rose was trembling slightly as she tried to understand their cryptic warnings.

"I will never let her go again."

His quiet vow made her heart sing; every nerve felt on edge as she fought to keep a clear mind. Surely that meant he DID still love her...?

If the Ood could have laughed cruelly, he was painfully sure they would have. Their blood red eyes definitely showed their contempt at least.

"Her mortality is the Doctors greatest enemy, and countless years have been wasted on Dreaming. Her body lies in slumber in the waking world, withering away. Does she even have a body to go back to? Give up, Time Lord, or feel the pain of humanity's most fatal flaw."

"I'm done talking now. Go."

His tone left no room for argument , though it shook ever so slightly, with an undercurrent of unnamed emotion. His hands trembled as he raised the squareness gun once more; he fumbled with the trigger and they were gone, wall replaced his walking nightmare.

" What did they mean ' fatal flaw'?"

Roses voice was subdued as she raised a trembling hand to his tense jaw. He didnt tear his eyes from the stone in front of them, though a part of his mind screamed at him to respond to her touch. Her fingers brushed across his jaw line so gently, only serving to remind him of her frightening fragility.

"You're mortal Rose"

They were both painfully aware of a similar conversation they'd had outside a little chip shop, whilst waiting for their past companions, oh, so long ago.

-"you wither and you die. Imagine watching that happen to someone you-"

"What, Doctor?"

"You can spend the rest of your life with me. But I can't spend mine with you." -

He shuddered. He could have told her then and there that he loved her and he didn't, because she was there.

Because she wouldn't leave him yet.

Because she was young.

Because he had time, time to work up his courage.

Because he was a coward.

And now, he could feel it, could understand.

Her body still existed outside of this dream, and it had for a long time.

Thirteen hours, the sign had said. Thirteen hours before the Dreamlord let Time take her . Thirteen hours to live- no, that wasn't right:

Eleven hours, six minutes and 23 seconds.

He suddenly found it hard to breathe through the lump in his throat; an unexpected cry escaped him, a small sob that spoke of his inner turmoil. He allowed the tears to fall for just a second, a heartbeat, and that was enough.

Roses hand moved, softly wiping the drops away, the feather light touch a simple caress that soothed him more than any words could, giving him strength.

He was no longer a coward.

With slow, purposeful deliberation he twisted, turning so that Rose was flush against him, making her gasp, making him tremble again.

Rose struggled to breathe, staring into sea-green eyes and seeing her whole world staring back. There was an odd spark in them, a spark of determination, of fear and hope and something else she dared not put a name to.

"Doctor."

His lips twitched slightly and he murmured.

"Do you trust me?"

"forever"

He continued to stare down at her with that quirk of a smile, and his eyebrow raised, making her heart do a weird little flop in her chest.

God, that was sexy...

He released her waist with one hand, the other held her firmly against him, exactly where she wanted to be. The former raised to her cheek, pressing against it with a gentleness that sent shockwaves through her to her very core.

"Doct-"

"Do you love me?"

Another gasp; she felt lightheaded and wonderfully weak at the knees, though his firm grip on her kept her upright. She stared into his eyes and echoed the same words he'd once said to her on a little insignificant beach in Norway.

"Does it need sayin'?"

"Yes , Miss Tyler, I believe it does."

Ah, he STILL had that goddamn eyebrow raised cheekily at her and she struggled to put two words together. She finally managed to mumble out a:

"Oh, shut up"

And he did. In the best way imaginable.

His lips moved towards hers with a decisiveness that said 'universe be damned ; nothing, I repeat, nothing will stop me'

And nothing did; as his lips claimed hers with a sweet and tender softness that quickly disappeared at their meeting.

It was like a wildfire. Burning away any thoughts as he pulled her impossibly closer, as she looped her arms around his neck; as their wayward fingers tangled in hair; as they strained to relieve so many years of longing and love in a single kiss, which the Doctor quickly deepened. They gasped together, feeling the three heartbeats pounding against one another as they pressed each other as close as was physically possible, revelling in the sensations that a simple kiss could cause.

The Doctor and his Rose, burning together for a glorious moment in Time.

Then he very reluctantly pulled away; foreheads resting against one another,

She was more beautiful than ever in that moment; her chocolate-brown eyes glazed and bright, her skin flushed and glowing, her hair messy and rough; she gasped for air as she choked out a gentle laugh.

"You don't half keep me waitin' , d'ya ?"

He chuckled, surprised at how rough it sounded. Her stomach twisted with butterflies, her pupils dilated slightly.

"Note to self. Kiss a certain Rose Tyler." He tapped her nose, and she giggled. "As much as possible."

Her eyes gleamed and she pressed herself against him firmly, straining to be closer than they already were.

" Once we're safe, you can do that as often as you like, believe me."

"Mmmmm."

He quickly pressed his lips to hers again, this time lingering for only a second, before pulling away.

"Might take you up on that."

She laughed and then gave him her very best , most heart-wrenching , tongue between teeth grin and he just couldn't resist leaning in for another kiss. They were quite quickly becoming an addiction, he decided, and, the worrying thing was, he didn't mind that at all.

"Now, we've got a tower to find, shall we?"

She smiled , playing with the lock of hair that was forever falling in front of his right eye.

"Lead the way."

He chuckled again, then dropped his hand to hold hers tightly; somehow the action seemed plain, not enough compared to what had just passed. Perhaps, if he was very extremely subtle, he could just loop his arm back around her waist as they walked- ah, no. 'Cos then they couldn't run, he reasoned, unless it was like a three-legged race and- getting offtrack again and-

Rose jerked to a stop.

"Doctor." the single word was enough for her voice to raise pitch, a tone of fear just punctuating through before she repressed it. "I can't move my feet"

His gaze immediately dropped to her feet. She wore pink converses, reminiscent of his past self, and they looked fine. No odd gunk gluing them down, no alien creatures clinging to them, they were just unnaturally still.

"That's... Not quite right is it? You need your feet, feet are good..."

She frowned as he knelt down, pulling out his sonic screwdriver and launching into Ramble no.3... The give-me-time ramble that sometimes scared her. Especially now. She couldn't move or feel her feet and the Doctor didn't have a clue what was going on.

"Doctor?"

"Hush, Rose. brain thinking"

"But..."

"Doctor needs shush." he murmured as he ficked the screwdriver, staring cross-eyed and intently at the tip.  
"There's nothing wrong. No problems at all. Your lovely pink feet should be working perfectly, and they can't. Unless it's a mental thing, like when Amys hand turned to stone."

She fought against a raised eyebrow.

"Course, after a quick bite, it was all sorted, but that's a story for another time, eh? TARDIS kitchen? We'll do dinner... Or teatime. With biscuits! I do like a good ol' jammy dodger...why are you looking at me like that?"

She couldn't help it. Yes she couldn't move, but he was so helplessly adorable that she grabbed his lapels and dragged him towards her for a solid kiss .

When she pulled back, her eyes twinkling mischievously, his unfocused and gleaming, they heard a low chuckle behind them.

"You are just priceless, Doctor, utterly priceless. Tell us your secrets, she never played nicely with me."

The Doctor turned, keeping himself between the voice and Rose, who peered over his shoulder, hand resting against his upper arm.

Captain Jack Harness was leaning casually against the stone wall, smirking. The Doctor frowned, seeing him clearly... No impossibilities crowding his vision. Rose sighed.

"Jack... Oh thank god, I thought you was the not-Doctor!"

Jack laughed, fingers twitching towards his gun.

"Dreamlord Rosie, I like it when you say my name."

She flinched, and the Doctor tensed as the image of her friend calmly pointed his gun squarely at the Doctors chest.

**Reviews would be much loved, please, I put my very best into these chapters and i hope you enjoy them 3**


	9. Jack has a gun, hes not afraid to use it

**Dedicated to all my FANTASTIC reviewers. I love you guys! I've been super stressed out recently, and this story , and your reviews, are really helping me through... **

**Disclaimer: Not mine, though i wish they were. The general plot is mine though, I hope you enjoy**!

"Now, see Rose? I can be reasonable. "

She scoffed and tried to pull the Doctor out of his line of fire. The Time Lord in question refused to move an inch, ensuring that whatever came their way wouldn't get to Rose.

"How the bloody hell is pointin' a gun at us reasonable? You should go stick it up your-"

"language, Rose, I've told you over and over. I don't want to punish you again..." Jack grinned cockily at her and winked as she flinched, shutting up. "Atta girl. What was I saying? Oh , yeah. Reasonable. I've been keeping an eye out for you, I heard your little request."

"Wha' you on about?"

"You don't want me to be the Doctor? I give you one of the other men in your life. And there were so many to choose from! I could have been Mickety-Mick-Mickey, or Adam, remember him? Or even Jimmy Stone-"

He was cut off by the Doctor; as they both watched her reaction. The sheer mention of her abusive ex was enough to spark tears and the Doctor was quickly losing patience.

" You answered her question. Now it's my turn."

Jack raised an eyebrow and clicked off the safety with overdone casualness.

"Sure, why not? I'm going to kill you anyway, may as well grant your last requests."

"Why Metamorphose? You had a perfectly normal body when we first met, why borrow Jacks? Try to keep the answer clean, I got enough innuendos offa the real captain."

Another cocky smirk and he stepped forwards, just once.

"But I was so... Boring! Plus , Rose likes pretty boys, remember? My old self wouldn't have stood a chance"

The doctor couldn't help but smile as Rose tartly replied.

"You still ent got a hope in hell, trust me mate. I told you enough."

He rolled his eyes.

"Be quiet you. You spoil all my fun! Take this for instance"

"what? This labyrinth was your idea of fun? Getting us killed is your idea of-no, don't answer that, I already know what you'll say."

Jack scoffed and sauntered forwards, pressing the butt of his gun between the Doctors eyes; Rose struggled to move, then cried out as she froze completely. Jacks voice spoke threateningly in a stage whisper that carried over to her.

"You, Time Lord, you cheated. We can't have that. So, eye for an eye, we'll dish out punishments. First , for Rosie contacting and interacting with the Ginger in the TARDIS; we'll cut your time- 3 hours oughta do it..." he chuckled as the Doctor glared at him darkly. " Second, you woke up to get objects you hadn't anticipated you'd need. That's another reason I picked the Yankee, it was his weapon. Now, for your penalty... Bye bye, Doctor"

His finger pressed firmly and calmly against the trigger; the Doctor was flung backwards as Rose screamed; he seemed to fall slowly, face almost unrecognisable through the blood. And then he hit the floor with a 'fwump' and lay unnaturally still.

His eyes were still open, blank and staring.

The first thing that Rory noticed was the trembling. And a lot of it.

"Amy!"

She turned from her seat on the step, eyes wide as the Doctors body arched up violently before slumping back to the glass floor.

"What just happened? Did you see it? Did anything touch him?"

Amy jumped over to her raggedy Doctor, laid unnaturally still now. Her fingers immediately went for the pulse but he shot upright, looking dazed.

"-Rose !"

"Doctor! Relax, it's alright, you're in the TARDIS! Calm down-Amy, tell him!"

The Doctor had jerked up, fallen down again and was now pacing around the console, before realising he was still connected to the wire on his forehead and getting pulled back by it. He quickly ripped it off and proceeded to tear through the console room, flipping buttons, pulling levers, hitting things , all the while muttering furiously to himself.

"Stupid, stupid! Now you're stuck here while she's-she's-"  
His legs gave out for a second and his companions jumped to hold him up by the elbows.

"Let go, both of you, I have to-I ha-I -"

To Amy's horror, tears were flowing steadily down his cheeks, and he was almost hyperventilating as he struggled violently. She motioned to Rory and together they dragged him to the step, letting him get it out of his system.

Finally his sobs quieted; his eyes slid shut as he held his head in his hands.

"I promised her, Amy. I promised; and she, we...oh, Amy, she loves me and I failed, she's stuck in that dream-"

He suddenly stiffened; Rory tensed, ready for another panic attack, but it didn't come.

"Her body lies in slumber in the waking world..."

Amy frowned.

"So now you're a poet?"

Rory just stared between them.  
"He's finally lost it, I warned you didn't I? He's mad-"

He was cut off as the Doctor attacked him with a hug , lifting him off the floor and spinning him.

"She's out there somewhere, I know it! And, oh, so close! We just need to find her- that's why Mr. Dream lord got all cocky! Because , even if we did get to that tower; shed still be trapped by her own sleeping body! Now, C'mon, dear."

He turned to the central column and patted it affectionately.

"Scan for traces of her DNA. Shouldn't be too hard," at this he gazed over to Amy with pride in his sea-green eyes. "My Rose is one of a kind."

Amy just sighed, pulling a face at Rory.

"If you say so."

He caught the dismissive tone and frowned, shaking his head whilst he manipulated the TARDIS controls.

" No, I mean it."

"I'm sure she is. To you."

"No! I mean, yes , to me, she – ah! She looked into the heart of the TARDIS, she had the vortex running through her DNA, it will have left a trace."

"The heart of the...TARDIS?"

The Doctor sighed, taking a confused Rorys shoulders.

"Rory, you are worse than Mickey the idiot. And that's saying something. Yes, the TARDIS has a heart. Yes, she is alive, a sentient being. Inside her heart is the time vortex, and Rose... well...she absorbed the energy. Nearly killed her. Killed me." He added in a quick undercurrent that Rory and Amy thought they misheard. " But, good thing she did. We can trace it, wake her up, and off we go, through Time, and Space!"

He raised his hand for a high five, and got blank stares, so settled for leaning casually against the TARDIS.

"You're no fun, Ponds. Now, lets go rescue my Damsel in Distress shall we?"

**Reviews would be much loved, please, I put my very best into these chapters and i hope you enjoy them... oh and the more reviews, I get, the faster I write...It may just decide poor Rosies fate. XD**


	10. Rose gets some revenge

**Dedicated to all my FANTASTIC reviewers. I love you guys! I've been super stressed out recently, and this story , and your reviews, are really helping me through... **

**Right, I am NOT happy with this chapter, but I didnt like making you wait longer than you had: so Voila! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: You know the drill. I'm 'borrowing' David and the cast. I just won't give them back XD**

The second her Doctor died, Rose was able to move- and all she could do was drop to her knees, trembling. Her mind kept up a determined mantra of 'not real,not him,not real,not him-'

"I enjoyed that, Rosie!"

'not real, not him-'

Jack chuckled, thrillingly dark.

"It felt so... Satisfying. Now, I get to keep you for myself, and believe me when I say I won't let you free again."

'not real, not him-' It was no good; the corpse was still there, a blood drenched Doctor, staring at her with blank, undeniably dead eyes. She bit back a sob, feeling the shock begin to wear away, feeling hot and vengeful fury flood her entire being. The Big Bad Wolf raising it's head.

Jack pulled her up by the elbow, spinning and pressing her against the nearest stone wall. She could feel it cold against her back, the imperfections digging into her skin through her clothing, and she welcomed the small distractions as he eyed her up and down hungrily, crushing his body against hers.

"Mmmmm. Rosie, I missed you."

She exhaled sharply; the sound almost a harsh were still beyond her at that moment as she fought the burning anger coursing through her mind. The Wolf called for murder, his immediate incarceration. It demanded Blood.

Jack trailed a hand down her side, lingering near her chest, the skin revealed at her t-shirts hem.

"So lonely without my little pink-and-yellow human..."

Pink-and-yellow. Heh. Only her Doctor could call her that.

His hand continued it's path as she fought for rational thought, trailing the stitching of her dark jeans, stopping at the crease at the back of her knee, before gripping tightly. She gasped in indignation and he smirked, obviously mistaking it for pleasure. He abruptly hitched it up around his waist, pressing closer to her. He leaned forwards slowly , pressing their cheeks together as he murmured in her ear.

"Mine."

She felt a sharp wave of disgust as he pressed his lips to hers; Her Jack had once kissed her and this was rapidly ruining the memory. He forced her lips to part, deepening the kiss against her will. And so she decided to play along, tangling her fingers in his hair, gasping out his name.

It worked; he dropped her knee to caress her face.

His legs were parted slightly, an opportunity too perfect to pass up - her knee flew up again, mercilessly colliding with his groin.

He choked out a cry, sinking to his knees; Rose smirked and knelt with him.

"Now see, that was for kissing me without my permission. This," She raised a hand, and gave him what the Doctor fearfully and affectionately titled the Tyler slap. His head flew to the side with a satisfying oomph. But she still wasn't finished.  
" This is for getting me into this whole mess. And this..."

Her hand flew back, fingers clenching tightly into a fist. His eyes shot up to hers, wide and fearful through his pain.

He deserved it.

"This is for my Doctor."

Her fist lashed out, crashing against his jaw with a horrible cracking sound. Pain blossomed through her hand; at least one knuckle was broken. Worth it though, she thought as Jack fell back, eyes rolling up as he lost consciousness.

Oh, yes that felt good!

She stood, examining her hand. Yup, definitely had a broken knuckle, but it was nothing compared to what the Doc-

Don't think about him.

Rose turned away, not wanting to see the ... Corpse again. She needed her full concentration if she was going to make it to the end of this nightmare. She knew that as soon as He woke up, he'd start messing with her mind again, just like he had with the mirror. And without the Doctor there she would have been fooled... But he couldn't help her anymore, she was on her own.

She smiled without humour. A lone wolf. Ironic, much?

Slowly, she began to walk away, ignoring the ache of her hand and her heart.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

"...so she's some sort of... Goddess?"

Rory leant against the TARDIS railings, trying in vain to understand the Doctors hastily babbled story of the 'Bad Wolf'. Amy had gotten bored at the start, and had wandered off to change her clothes and grab some food. The Doctor was still haring around the console, subtly changing the course with a tweak of a switch here, push of a button there, and a good ol' kick when it didn't work.

"...no." He began to type rhythmically on the typewriter.  
"She's completely human, I assure you."

"But you said..."

"I said she gained the power of a goddess, physically she was still human"

Rory sighed, frustrated.

"Because she... Looked... Into your ships engine?"

The Doctor shook his head, screwing up his eyes and gesturing wildly with his hands , like a stroppy child.

"Heart, heart! Shes sentient, aren't you dear?" He fondly patted the console and got an answering hum. Rory stared.

"Her heart is in here, and , well, when I tried to send Rose away... She forced it open and looked into it." There was another hum, and the Doctor nodded. "I'm getting to it! She absorbed the energy of the Time Vortex, and sent herself back to me. Saved my life, gave a man immortality, broke the Dalek Emperor into itty bitty pieces and then sent a message to her past self to make sure it all happened... Wibbly-wobbly, timey- wimey, don't worry about it." He added at the look on Rorys his own face dropped, eyes serious and icy.  
" But she was human. No-one could harness that sort of power. And it was killing her, burning her up from the inside out, whilst I sat there gaping like a loon. I begged her, Rory, I begged her to save herself and d'ya know what she told me?"

"What?"

" She just said , 'I want you safe.' She was dying to save me, and how could I let her? So I drew the power out of her"

"How?"

The Doctor blinked, and to Rorys surprise, he blushed.

"Doesn't matter."

He raised an eyebrow. "How?"

"...With a kiss"

Rory chuckled.

"That is just too cheesy!"

"no 'tisn't. Anyway, long story short, I died, she lived, and that power will lead me to her. Any questions?"

"Yeah, you died?"

Amy skipped down the stairs, eating a sandwich of some sort. He hoped. It was bright purple.

"Amy! You missed my story!"

"Good. Now tell me what you mean, died?"

"I died, perished, was fatally injured, morte, kaput-"

She shoved a hand over his mouth and pouted.

"Yeah, I know what dead means. And you totally aren't it. So explain."

"Mi mememomammemph"

He mumbled around her hand and she pulled it back suddenly."Ew, you licked me!"

"Yes, I did, thank you! Now as I was saying, I -"

He was cut off again as the TARDIS groaned, jerking wildly and throwing them all to the floor.

"I thought you knew what you were doing?"

Amy was pulled to her feet by Rory, who was warily watching the Doctor. They could already see a vivid difference in him, a tense anticipation , a sparkle of something unidentifiable in his eyes; Amy guessed it was what his enemies called the Oncoming Storm. But at the same time, there was a tense vulnerability, and his hands shook with suppressed emotion.

"That wasn't me. We just passed through a barrier. Which means..." he exhaled sharply and faced the door. "Hah... It means we're here. She's out there."

Amy stepped forwards, one hand in Rorys, the other on the Doctors shoulder in an attempt at comfort.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Go get her!"

He tried to smile, still shaky, then strode forwards, an act of bravado, a shadow of his former self, who hid behind false words- 'I'm always alright'.

"Right, come along, Ponds, can't keep whatevers out there waiting can we?"

The trio all glanced at each other, just once, and then, as one, opened the door into the unknown.

**Reviews would be much loved, please, I put my very best into these chapters and i hope you enjoy them... oh and the more reviews, I get, the faster I write...It may just decide poor Rosies fate. XD**


	11. Revelations

Disclaimer- not mine, I just nicked the cast XD A/N: It is short; but it's just a quick filler chapter, enjoy, and remember, reviewing doesn't cost a penny!

F/N : (my term for friends note! XD) this is the loyal lapdog, reporting for duty! Suzi is currently too busy to post this herself and has left it to me to do :P

They were in a plain , small room, reminiscent of a clinic. Medical equipment lined the walls, and in the centre was a sort of gurney.

The Doctor couldn't move. There on the table, strapped to so, so many wires was Rose. Her chest rose and fell almost imperceptibly; the rest of her body was still, relaxed in her comatose state. She looked exactly the same.

He choked back a cry at the monitors and needles holding her hostage.

Or were they keeping her alive?

"She WAS at our wedding!"

Rory began to move forwards , but the Doctor shot out an arm.

"What!"

"Yeah. Just before Amy noticed River, and remembered you. She was leaning on the door. I thought it was odd- she was wearing this" He motioned to her jeans and leather jacket.

"Not what you usually wear to a wedding, is it? Anyway, the, Uh, TARDIS appeared and she looked... She looked so happy to see it. When I looked over again later she was gone."

No one spoke; the only sound was the beep...beep...beep of the monitors recording Roses slow pulse. Finally the Doctor lowered his arm, allowing Rory and Amy to move over to the woman in front of them.

Amy brushed a strand of blonde hair out of Roses face, and frowned.

"Doctor..."

He was busy; examining every machine as he murmured

" She was at the wedding, which means she was doing one of two things- first, she was from our future... Though, knowing my luck it's option 2..."

"Doctor."

Rory spoke simultaneously with Amy , she glared at him briefly.

"What's option 2?"

"Option 2. She sent back a resonate image of herself whilst comatose, to call for help. A... Distress signal as it were, but projecting a corporeal form into the past."

He didn't sound pleased.

"Doctor!"

"Amy, hush, I'm thinking. Rose- that is, my Rose, the Rose I knew- couldn't do that. No human could! It's-"

"Doctor, shut the hell up and look at this."

He turned on the spot and raised his eyebrows at Amy,who was pointing at Rose.

"what?"

"Is she supposed to do that?"

The Doctor immediately dived over to the girls. Rose was shuddering violently, tiny wisps of golden light escaping her parted lips.

"No ! Nonononononooo! I got rid of this! I died for it ! "

"What? What is it?" Rorys words were overlapped by Amys frustrated shout of "You aren't Dead! Stop saying you died!"

"Rory! Remember story time?"

"Yeah, but d'ya have to call it that?"

The monitors readings were shifting on the screen, forming words the Doctor both loved and feared.

BAD WOLF

Amy glanced around. It was on every screen.

BAD WOLF

Roses t-shirt had held an insignia, the words had twisted somehow.

BAD WOLF

"It's still here, following us like a curse, drawing us in to some greater plan-"

There was a dry chuckle from behind them, cutting the Doctors frantic ranting off.

"This is what I've become? So melodramatic..."

Amy whirled, attempting to glare at the man strode forwards. She failed, eyes widening as she took in his familiar features, ones she had described just hours earlier.

'He's stick thin, in a pinstripe suit and converse, and his hair! Absolutely MASSIVE sideburns and all spiked up like Sonic the hedgehog.'

"You!"

The man grinned cheesily.

"Oooh yes, it's me."

The Doctor turned slowly, mind whirling.

"Amy, Rory... Meet the Metacrisis. My clone. And, it seems... The man behind this whole affair."

Dun dun duuuuun!  
Review and I'll update faster, you guys know the drill XD 


	12. Wake Up

**Disclaimer- not mine, I just nicked the cast XD **

**A/N: Hee hee, thank you for all the reviews, particularily xxDefyingGravity2010xx for your private messages! Oh, this was tough to write...**

**Remember, reviewing doesn't cost a penny!**

The Doctor fought the itch to pace, staying in front of his treasured companions as he thought aloud.

"You planned this all, set it all up for us... But why?"

" I need her broken, Doctor."

The metacrisis spat the name, glaring at him with burning eyes.

"I left her to break her. So that the Bad Wolf would waken again - Oooh god, that sounds all...prophetic. Won't be saying that again."

The Doctor took Roses hand , gripping it tightly.

"You were me. We love her. You love her."

"Hah! I do ...desire her. Such a fiery woman- but she's human, in case you'd forgotten. We once called them stupid apes. The only use she'll ever be is a few centuries company. Domestic company, might I add? Ugh. She's of more use to me this way, thank you."

"How can you talk about her like that? She's got feelings, you know!"

Amy glared in utter disgust at the man before her, wanting to wipe his smug smile right off his face.

He made an eye-rolling 'duh!' face, sticking his hands deep into his pockets.

"Her feelings can be manipulated so easily. I had her wrapped around my finger with those three words. Besides, she's my Rose and I'll do what I please with her."

His eyes burnt like coals as he glared at them again.

"Now back off."

"Not happening." The Doctor leant against the gurney, his hand brushing Roses cold skin. A finger twitched, was she fighting it? Give her time, keep him talking.

"Why this universe?"

The clone snorted.

"The universe you dumped me in had no potential. The Time Lords never died there, did you realise? Gallifrey still turns, they still 'protect' us all."

The Doctor swallowed back a lump in his throat; no regrets. That had been one of his first thoughts in this new body. No regrets from past lives.

Another twitch.

"Why is that bad? You weren't alone."

This caused his doubles eyes to grow colder, more painful.

"You have no idea. Remember that coral you gave me? For the TARDIS? They found us, Martha and I, and destroyed it. Said we weren't worthy of the honour of time travel! Me, the Time Lord Victorious!"

Ah. Oh, dear. The Doctor had feared this had happened... He'd snapped just as he himself had. And he had been... Dangerous at that point. He had nothing to lose, and everything to gain- he had honestly been about to go back and save Rose, mess with the Timelines; the only thing that stopped him was Adelaide taking her own life to restore the balance. This double of his didn't have anything like that to control his madness.

"So I crossed the Void. Used their own technology to escape them."

Rory grimaced.

"A-and Martha?"

His eyes were merciless, black and cruel.

"She wasn't up to crossing the void. It killed her. Two birds with one stone... I knew then that crossing the void without a capsule took it's toll on weak humans."

Amy almost launched herself at him. Almost. Instead she gritted her teeth and hissed.

"You're a monster. That Martha girl would have trusted you. And you killed her.

The double shrugged.

Roses hand moved.

" ah, you keep calling them weak humans! You're a bit of a hypocrite there , aren't you? "

"No... I'm a Time Lord. The human half of me couldn't cope, it ...'died' as it were"

There was a slight hint of disgust in his voice, the Doctor slid his hand subtly to Roses, entwining them. Her fingers closed around his. She WAS fighting it!

"So thats it then? The Time Lords grounded you so you snuck away? How infantile!"

As he spoke, he nudged Amys foot, she edged closer to him. As she reached him, he stepped forwards , releasing Roses hand, just ad his double strode forwards angrily.

"It is when you say it like that! It's not the only reason!"

"No?"

"No!"

Roses eyes flickered subtly and Amy took her hand.

"C'mon, Rose. You gotta wake up to see this fight, it's gonna be good."

She moaned slightly.

"Rose- the Bad Wolf feeds off energy from this world! "

"So you thought of risking me finding out? You knew I'd find you!"

They were nose to nose, both seething.

" This wasn't my original plan- I pulled her through the Void and she collapsed- hasn't woken up since- that 'dream world' was the only thing keeping her alive at first! Why dont you worry about That!"

"Because you're the one who did this to her! "

Rose groaned again, more perceptibly. The machinery around her began to beep faster , the golden light was fading away.

" Right, okay. Okay. Do you know how it felt to be compared every single day to a man who left the woman you 'love' behind? She never loved me, she just used me as a consolation prize. Something to keep her occupied. Now in returning the favour. With her, I can do whatever I wish to the universe, without any repercussions. And , thanks to her little distress signal, I'll get the TARDIS too."

"Oh, is that so! You don't think I let my TARDIS get stolen again do you? It's not happening!"

"You stole it in the first place anyway!"

The Doctor blinked then shook his head.

"That, that is not the point."

Rory nudged Amy, head bobbing between the two Doctors as they bickered.

"Blimey, Amy this is worse than Jerry Springer. She awake?"

Rose blinked blearily, choking slightly on the golden mist still escaping her mouth. Her irises reflected it, a slight gold tinge that she seemed to be fighting.

••••••••••••

-earlier, in the dream world-

Rose gasped at the sight before her; she was surrounded by mirrors , each reflecting the opposite one and creating an infinite reflection, trapping her.

"...No, no, no way, Reinette Poisson? Later Madame D'Etoiles, later still mistress of Louis the XV, uncrowned Queen of France? Actress, artist, musician, dancer, courtesan. Fantastic gardener!"

She instantly recognised his voice, the new new man from oh, so long ago; words echoing all around her.

There was another indistinct voice - and then

" I'm the Doctor, and I just snogged Madame de Pompadour!"

He sounded so proud of himself! She fought back a wave of disgust. So , this was her punishment?

"Oi! Dreamlord! I ent gonna play your stupid game! He came back for me, he-"

She stopped. There, clear as day in the mirror was Miss Sarah-Jane Smith, smiling cruelly as she spoke to someone out of sight.

"You can tell your getting older, your assistants are getting younger."

Rose almost growled, squeezing her eyes shut.

Then she heard two words, a woman speaking them in such an intimate way.

"Hello sweetie."

Another woman came into view, smiling at the Doctor, the newest one- all geeky and young and charming- who had appeared opposite.

He gazed past Rose as though she were invisible.

The woman spoke.

"Did you dance? Well, you always dance at weddings , don't you?"

He smiled.

"You tell me."

Was he-? He was! He was flirting with the woman! And worse, she was playing along! Her fingers twitched, aching to form fists, though her knuckle protested.

"Spoilers!"

What did she mean spoilers? Her with her cheeky, secretive smile, and that quirked, shamelessly flirty eyebrow? What right did she have to the Doctor?

God, if she and the Doctor made it out of this alive, she was gonna kill him.

There was a commotion- the glass around her began to glow, a golden colour that seemed to sing to her... Such an ancient song! So... Familiar.

It burned.

And then there was a touch on her hand, a brief tingling, she couldn't help but respond, before it was gone. And there was noise.

"So th...s it then? The...me Lords gr...ded you so you sn...k...way? How inf...n...le!"

She gasped. The Doctors voice, the real ones voice cane muffled through her ears, the mirrors around her were gone, faded into a darkness tinged with gold. Her eyes were closed. She tried to open them- she couldn't breathe.

"It is when you say it like that! It's not the only reason!"

That was the new new Doctor! Or the Metacrisis... What?

"No?"

"No!"

They sounded so immature , bickering like small children as she struggled to open her eyes. They felt like dead weights.

There was a soft touch on her hand, a murmur above her; a scottish accent that held attitude and compassion.

"C'mon, Rose. You gotta wake up to see this fight, it's gonna be good."

She was trying. Shed always wondered what it would be like to see two of her doctors together, and fighting? That had to be a laugh. And now she was going to miss it cos she couldn't see.

Wait, when had that Amy girl entered the Dream world?

She ignored the rest of the distant bickering as she pressed against the darkness. Her head hurt, it was burning golden, and it hurt and-

The Doctor was waiting for her. That what kept her going as she finally, finally opened her eyes to a completely new room, one that felt surreally real.

She was Awake. Rose Tyler was back in the real world, and her head _hurt_.

How odd, all she wanted to do now was go back to sleep.

** I'm currently writing this in a tiny ski lodge in Germany, so forgive me for the length, I will write longer chapters when I get the chance to! **

**See the little button down there? The one labelled review? Click it. Go on. You know you want to.**


	13. Violence and the Wolf

**Disclaimer- not mine, I just nicked the cast XD **

**A/N: Hee hee, thank you for all the reviews, I will lengthen chapters eventually.**

**Remember, reviewing doesn't cost a penny!**

The Doctor was mad.

No, now, wait, it was more than mad. He was fighting for some measure of control so that he wouldn't pound his doubles face into the nearest wall. As it was, he was imagining the lovely satisfying crunch it would make as his nose broke.

Why was he so mad?

For starters, the metacrisis had killed. Again. Would the fool never realise his mistakes? And it was his friend he had killed. Martha, poor, sweet, unsuspecting Martha ; who had been there in his toughest times after Rose had been taken from him. The idiot had treated his friend like a guinea pig – dragging her through the Void , away from her home, her family, and into the unknown. And it had killed her. Her parents would never see her again. Francine, and Clive, Leo and Tish, would never know what had happened to her... and it was his fault. Weeeell, his doubles. Same thing really.

And if dragging a defenceless human through the Void wasn't bad enough, the idiot had _kidnapped _Rose, after _leaving her behind_ to travel the universe with said defenceless human. He , after _knowing full well _what could happen, still dragged her through the Void. Rose had fallen into a _coma_. That point right there made the Doctors hands shake, and the anger to course almost painfully through him. His Rose, in a coma, and the _-from-thicktown-thickania _had taken advantage of that fact, inducing a dream world in which he was 'lord'. He truly was messed up.

But _why? _Why be so damn _obvious _about it? It was like the metacrisis was playing a game, testing their limits—Ah. He had created the Dreamlord specifically to find himself. He'd _wanted _the Doctor to come, with the TARDIS. He'd tested Rose, broke her ( oooh, another flare of the burning anger at that particular thought) to bring out the Bad Wolf.

The Bad Wolf that by all rights, shouldn't still exist.

Speaking of Rose, there was movement behind him, a very blonde head rising from the gurney. He immediately turned, dismissed the metacrisis without a word, and headed straight for his most beloved companion.

She swayed slightly as she sat up, gasping slightly; Amy reached out, gripping an elbow firmly to keep the blonde upright.

" I got ya, don't worry. Doctor?"

He moved closer, wanting that real contact , that hand to hold, that look in her brown eyes that confirmed that she was very much there and awake—

He didn't get it.

There was a blow to the back of his head- blinking stars out of his eyes he turned again, the metacrisis had a fist raised, his face stormy, eyes black with fury.

"You cant have her!"

This caught the Doctors attention, not the words, but the tone. It was almost painful, the desperate longing in his words, and he suddenly understood something.

The metacrisis DID love Rose. He loved her too much, just as his tenth incarnation had. And Rose, oh, Rose had unknowingly rejected him by comparing the two. He wanted Rose, and he wanted her forever. His forever, willing or not. He just wouldn't spend another day being pushed away, another rejection, another heart-break.. He had done this all, because he wanted it to be 'The Doctor and Rose Tyler in the TARDIS, just as it should be.' Just as the Doctor had told him to.

The Time Lord Victorious, a mere child who didn't know when to stop. Who didn't understand his own emotions, who flicked between possessive love, and burning hate for the one woman who he had been created for and who had pushed him away.

So, the Doctor didn't fight, he simply reached out and pulled the metacrisis into his arms, hugging him close and whispering the two words he always said.

"I'm sorry."

Rose, Amy and Rory watched in stunned silence, as Rose slid from the gurney. Her legs shook violently with the lack of use. Her eyes narrowed at the sight before her and before she could say anything , do anything, the metacrisis began to sob.

"She's mine, I wont let you, I wont-"

"Shhhhhhhh, I know. I know. And I'm sorry."

"Don't, please , _please _don't-"

"Hush..."

They stood there like that for a moment, the metacrisis shaking and sobbing, the Doctor holding him and murmuring his apologies. The companions watched as one silently, no one daring to break the moment, until—.

Until Rose gasped, sinking to the floor with a surprised little 'oomph!'.

Her eyes were flickering between heavenly chocolate brown, and burning, all-consuming gold as she began to shudder.

No one moved for a heartbeat; then everyone moved as one- the Doctor disentangled himself, diving to Rose, who was being held up by Rory and Amy. The metacrisis froze, eyes wide and almost vacant as he stared at the group, as though he didn't understand what was happening, what he had caused.

"Breathe , Rose. Breathings good, yeah?"

She nodded, trying to breathe easily as a spasm of pain rocked through her. Her hand clawed at the many needles still in her arms, the machines created a cacophony of bleeping – _beep,beep,beep,beep!beep,beep,beep,beep! _– that pounded repetitively in the Doctor head. He assumed the business mode. Clinical, keep a clear mind.

"Metacrisis-"

"Dreamlord. My name is the Dreamlord."

His voice came out a harsh whisper, and the Doctor waved a hand, reaching out to the shuddering blonde.

" Fine, Dreamlord, help me fix this mess you've caused. Rose , keep breathing. Deep, calming breaths, in and out, in and-"

"Doctor..." she wheezed painfully, her voice slipping slightly into many layers of sound. "I am...not ... in bloody... _labour. _"

"Ah. Ahem, no, you're not. Definitely not! Just... Ahem...Work on the breathing. Rory! Good old Rory Pond! You can...ummm,well, you can...oh, just don't touch anything."

"But I'm a nurse!"

" Yes, well, act nurse-y then. Keep an eye on her vitals. Amy, with me!"

He stood, hurrying over to the machines, one had a scan of Roses head, the brain activity was going off the scale, every lobe seemed to be working at a rate that seemed impossible for a human to survive. Overload.

"What do we do? Scratch that, why's it happening?"

"The Doctor didn't look away.

"The meta- Dreamlord tried to spark the Bad Wolf - don't ask why, I'm still unclear- and now, its taking over Rose. We've just got to find some way to switch it all off."

The Dreamlord was beside them now, eyes still teary, he was clearly beating himself up.

"I've gone too far, she's going to leave me."

This made the Doctor stiffen, then suddenly his fist shot out, hitting the Dreamlord firmly in the nose.

"Stop acting so melodramatic! Don't you DARE give up on Rose! We can stop this, if you use that big Time Lord brain of yours!"

The Dreamlord blinked, rubbing his nose.

"'S too...bright" Rose gasped out, trying to move as Rory felt for a pulse.

"Steady for now, but its rising , Doctor."

" Right, right, let me think, where's the off switch?"

The Dreamlord headed across the room, over to Rose. The Doctor initially stiffened, but relaxed as the Dreamlord began to remove the various needles and wires- all the things supplementing the Bad Wolf.

"Rose, look at me."

The dreamlords voice was soft and serious, as he reached out to touch her face. She flinched away.

"Back... off bef...ore I slap ...you!"

He flinched at her words, but when he spoke, it was calm.

" Listen to me. I wanted you to live forever with me. That's why I tried this. But, Rose, it went wrong. As per the usual," Here he looked over at the Doctor. " _Someone _missed their cue and turned up at the wrong time. And now, Rose, unless you listen to me, it will kill you."

She glared painfully at him for a moment before jerking her head in agreement. He brightened up immediately, cheesy grin spreading wide.

" Right, clear your mind. Clear it completely."

"No...bloody...problem."

"Rose."

The Doctor knelt beside her, and silently slipped his hand into hers. A perfect fit.

"Please?"

The golden light in her eyes began to dim, her breathing began to clear, and she suddenly sagged, falling onto the Doctor, who held her close.

"That's my girl."

**I'm currently writing this in a tiny ski lodge in Germany, so forgive me for the length, I repeat, I will write longer chapters when I get the chance to! **

**See the little button down there? The one labelled review? Click it. Go on. You know you want to.**


	14. Resolution and Threats

**A/n: hey guys, this chapter took forever to form, but I hope you all enjoy!**

**P.s Lapdog is back, posting chapters, because Suzi is lazy and cannot be bothered to do it herself, so, she's making me...**

"... And now , what to do with you, John?"

The Doctor reentered the console room, watching his clone stare around in wonder.

"It's changed again... Oh, you're beautiful..."

He stroked the console almost lovingly, though it hummed aggressively at him.

The Doctor laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm talking to you."

"What? Well, my name isn't John, its Dreamlord."

The Doctor scoffed.

"I don't think so. After the stunt you just pulled? No, you have to earn a majestic title like that."

John sighed, giving in.

"...Where's Rose?"

"Safe with Rory and Amy while the TARDIS readies her room... And we have a little talk."

John leant on the railing, hands sinking into pinstripe pockets. The doctor folded his arms, chin raising defiantly.

"I can't let you go. You're a danger to the universes, and to Rose. "

"So what do you propose? Lock me away in some cell deep in the TARDIS, forget I even exist?"

Johns words were bitter.

"No." the doctor answered patiently. " I want you to come with me. "

John started in shock.

"We're family, in a way, brothers... And we both have things to learn. You, how to live, and me, how to forgive you."

John looked away.

"You would do that? What about Rose? She doesn't trust me."

"And with good reason, John! I'm giving you this chance to show her you can be trusted! Take it."

"I won't get her back. Not now she's got her Doctor ."

Johns eyes shone with something akin to remorse, and then flashed with the icy depths of his insane hatred.

The Doctor swallowed thickly, thoughts drifting inevitably to Rose. Could he really have this chance again without mucking it up, without hurting the both of them again? He could see her in his mind, where he had left her , curled up and sleeping peacefully in his room. In his own bed. How could he deny himself that feeling of her presence again? He loved her, and that terrified him. Always had. He alway ran away from it, thinking it would hurt less, but how wrong he had been. Living with that 'what if' as his shadow hadn't been living at all. So, now he had her back, he would give her everything he could, for her forever. Consequences be damned.

"You can still earn her friendship can't you? You can still make her happy..."

John made a scornful face and the Doctor continued reasonably.

"And one day, when you're ready, you can go travel the stars and find your Rose. "

His tone became stern, severe.

"But you need to be taught."

John stepped away from the railing, nodding whilst avoiding eye contact.

"So, I'm allowed out... Under supervision from the man who's stealing MY Rose."

The Doctor closed his eyes, exhaling with forced patience.

"You pushed her away, John. "

He continued to nod, face contorting.

"You gonna send me to my room then? Like a bad child, doing what he shouldn't have. You will NEVER understand. "

He suddenly burst forwards, in the Doctors face, eyes burning almost painfully. It revealled the desperate madness within, and the Doctor fought the instinct to step back.

"She will come back to me, rest assured I will not lose her again. And I will kill you, with great pleasure, just because you took her from me. I will not rest until I get what I want."

The words were spoken with such calmness, so sure and deadly quiet that the Doctor shuddered in fear.

John moved away, turning at the top of the stairs , where he murmured in that horribly quiet, deadly voice that chilled him to the bone.

"Enjoy your peace , Doctor. Because I am going to take back what is mine."

He chuckled dryly, quietly.

"I am going to destroy you."

A/N**: That's it. The end.** Oh my goodness, I may just faint- I actually finished a story! And , yes, there are plans for a sequel shaping up quite nicely in my head. Now, I want to thank every reviewer a thousand times over, you have no idea how rubbish this story would be without you all. I have but one favour to ask of you all now. What were your thoughts on the story? What did you love? What did you hate? What would you like to see happen in the sequel? All thoughts are welcome, just click that little button! Thank you guys! Xxxxxx


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